Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Ad Criticizes Brown’s Stance on Abortion Rights

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for state attorney general, on Tuesday announced an advertising campaign that criticizes Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown's position on abortion rights, the Los Angeles Timesreports. Brown also is seeking the nomination.

The ad includes a headline from a 1988 news article in which Brown said abortion "amounted to killing," as well as an article discussing feminists' objections to Brown's effort to gain clemency for an antiabortion activist in Florida.

Brown's campaign team recently released an April 24 letter from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that said Brown acted as governor to ensure abortion funding from the state after federal funding was cut in the late 1970s (Bailey, Los Angeles Times, 4/26).

Analysis

According to an analysis of the ad by the Sacramento Bee, "Delgadillo's ad implies that Brown opposes abortion rights, or at least is inconsistent on the issue."

Brown supported funding for abortions for low-income women when he was governor from 1975 to 1982. In addition, he opposed Proposition 73 -- a measure on the November 2005 ballot that would have required parents or guardians of unmarried girls younger than age 18 to be notified before an abortion is performed, the Bee reports.

The issue is "important ... to the Democrats who will be voting in the June 6 primary and who overwhelmingly support abortion rights," according to the Bee (Sacramento Bee, 4/26).

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